Persuasion
by SilverRayan
Summary: TFA. Written for Whitewave3971. Megatron finally has Optimus at his mercy, but instead of getting rid of the young mech he forces him to listen to some very unpleasant truths. Rated R, just in case
1. Chapter 1

Hungry red optics trailed over the writhing body chained to the wall. The young mech was feisty, and loyal to the Autoscum who had reared him. Megatron licked his lips in anticipation. Despite the young mech's naivety, the tyrant knew that breaking him of his ridiculous Autobot morals would be a challenge. It had been far too long since the last time he had been challenged. Starscream no longer provided adequate entertainment; perhaps the demoted Prime would prove to be worth more.

The silver warlord pushed away from the communication station, cameras still focused on his guest. Optimus' team had already been in contact, demanding the return of their precious leader. He had deployed Lugnut and Blitzwing to take care of the pests. Of course, Optimus was unaware that his friends were searching for him. He had seen fit to keep that information from his prisoner, preferring to keep the little mech in the dark with no contact from anyone – even other Decepticons – in order to make him more reliant on Megatron for food, information and companionship.

It didn't take long to reach the brig. Prime had once again tired himself out and was hanging limply in his bonds. Megatron's smile was predatory.

"Hello, Little Prime." Optimus jerked.

"Megatron!" The force field deactivated, allowing the helicopter entrance into the cell. He raked his optics over his prey, noting the weak struggles, the dim blue optics and battered chassis. A surge of lust flashed through his systems, but the silver mech repressed it. Now was not the time. Perhaps in future sessions.

"Hungry, Prime?" He pulled two cubes of energon from his subspace, watching as greedy blue optics focused on the cubes. Despite the lithe mech's obvious hunger, Optimus made no move to claim one. "So stubborn," Megatron purred, stepping closer. He moved until he was pressed flush against the smaller mech's chassis, and raised one of the cubes up to those full, lush lips. Optimus jerked his head away, determined not to give in to his captor. One large, silver hand cupped his chin, forcing him to face Megatron once again. The cube pressed insistently against his sealed lips. "Drink it. It is not poisoned. It would do me no good to kill you now." The warlord purred into his smaller counterpart's audio finials.

Optimus struggled against the temptation, emotions playing out on his expressive faceplates. In the end, hunger won, and he opened his lips, allowing Megatron to feed him. Megatron said nothing as the pretty little mech drank both cubes, choosing to wait until the small mech had sated his hunger.

"One would think that you have never tasted energon before. Ah, but I suppose the council does not see the need to waste good rations on a team of washed out repair bots." Pain flashed though those expressive optics, but Optimus was quick to mask it.

"It is difficult to send energon from Cybertron to Earth. We make do with what we have." Even though the rations they had were over fifty years old they did not complain. Sure, they resented it, but they knew complaining would not change anything. Besides, energon was energon, even if it was stale.

"Does the Elite Guard not make bi-monthly trips to this wretched planet? Are you telling me that they cannot spare some of their precious energon?"

"Energon is sent to the front lines, and as we already have an adequate supply they do not need to bring more. Energon is sent to the front lines first, which is where it is needed. That is their priority."

"My Elite soldiers are here, facing you. I am here." Contempt crossed the Decepticon's handsome face. "You are the only team of your generation to not only face us once, but dozens of times, and each time you have come out alive," this was said with grudging respect, even if the tone was sour, "almost none of your comrades on the "front lines" can say that. You are alive – and in possession of several Allspark fragments – by luck and a modicum of skill, and you have proven it to your superiors, have you not? Yet they still do not fully believe you. You're large, arrogant friend… Sentinel, I believe, tried to arrest you when he arrived, and even once they knew I was here they still abandoned you to my mercies. I wonder, are they trying to get rid of you?" Optimus was having a hard time focusing. The purring vibrations from the great Decepticon's frame transferred into his own, lighting up his frame with a strange heat. That, combined with the truth of Megatron's words made it hard to come up with a decent argument.

"Our – our story did sound unbelievable, and they never actually saw you," the argument was weak and he knew it, but he couldn't believe that they had been abandoned; no matter how true the other made it sound. They were Autobots! They did not leave others behind.

"Perhaps so," Megatron purred, his dark voice oozing seductiveness. The young Prime shuddered, whether in lust or fear Megatron did not know, nor care. Both would get him the results he sought. "But let us look at some of their other acts of negligence, concerning you and your team. We'll start with your expulsion from the Autobot academy." Those pretty blue optics widened, and this time the young mech could not hide his pain. Hough vorns had passed since that incident, it was still a fresh wound. Sentinel never let him forget it.

"Now, I believe that the files said that three academy students were on a training mission. The team lead had been a young, promising mech, though the others were so as well. Elita-1 and Sentinel Minor requested permission to land a shuttle on a nearby organic planet. The ship logged the request, as it did the denial of the team lead. The two went anyway, forcing the Prime to follow them, and ensure that they did not get into any trouble, as any good leader would do. There are also logs of the repeated attempts the Prime made to get the two to return to the ship, along with their denials.

"During an altercation with the organics the femme was lost, while you were able to save Sentinel and get him back to Cybertron. Did I miss anything, Optimus?" The pretty chassis beneath him trembled with repressed sobs. "Now, were you foolish? Yes. Was it your job to keep them safe? Yes. However it was their choice to disobey you, and you cannot save mechs from their own stupidity. You all knew it was dangerous. You should have let the fools die while you summoned a higher commanding officer. Your decision was noble, if futile," Optimus stilled in shock. Had… had the Decepticon Lord just paid him a compliment? "But in no way should you have been expelled. Especially since they had the whole event on file. But then you offered yourself up as a scapegoat and they took it eagerly, barring you from the academy, despite your grades, dedication, and potential. Even now they use you as one, don't they, Optimus?"

"We – we are all cogs in the machine; we all have our purposes…"

"You spout this dribble often, my dear mech, but do you believe it? Do you believe that Prowl, the only ninja since Yoketron to master mind-over-matter is little more than a repair drone? Or Ratchet, the Great Wars medic infamous even among my people for the battlefield miracles he was capable of, is he now nothing more than a lowly mechanic? The younglings on your team, do you see no potential in them, just like the others back home? Perhaps they were meant to do nothing more than smash rock on Primus forsaken asteroids."

"Stop it! They are so much more than that! Don't you dare talk about them as though they are scum, good for nothing other than repairs! They are not!" Megatron's smirk was dark. Every mech had their buttons, the ones that made them lash out, angry and offended. Everyone had a way to be manipulated, most had many. He had just found one of Optimus'. He had held up well under having to relieve the painful memories, but it was easy to see that his pride in his team could be used against him. If he was angry enough at the Autobots for their treatment… well that opened up a galaxy of possibilities.

"I know, little Prime," the silver mech growled softly, "your little team has been an irritant since the day you came online on this mud ball. No, it is not I that you need to convince." Optimus' righteous anger began to drain away, replaced by a dull horror that came with knowing he had just snarled at Megatron. Most of his processor had locked up with fear, but there was a part of him that was defiant. He had meant what he said, Pit take it, and he wasn't going to recant his words. He braced himself, trying not to let his fear overtake him, waiting for pain. It didn't come. Megatron pulled back slightly, looking into his optics before smiling a slow, hungry smile that was perhaps more terrifying than the fact that he had lashed out at Megatron. "You are finally beginning to see, aren't you?" Optimus refused to answer, dismayed that he had spoken against the Autobots, but angry that Megatron's words rang true. An insidious little voice in his processor said that everything Megatron had spoken of had an element of truth to it. He did his best to ignore it, turning away again. Something wet rasped against his cheek, dragging up to his optic before disappearing. The young Autobot whipped around in shock, but the silver faceplates betrayed nothing. "I'll leave you here to think on this, shall I?" Megatron did not wait for an answer, exiting the cell and reactivating the bars before leaving the brig. Optimus was left alone, with only a tingling wetness left on his cheek as a reminder of what Megatron had said.

----------

e vit TTime passed slowly. Optimus didn't know how long it had been since Megatron had left him alone. His thoughts had run in cycles ever since. He was a failure. His team had needed a leader. They had looked to him for guidance, even Prowl, despite his solitary nature. He had done his best to protect him. They worked in pairs to protect themselves – and the humans – from the Decepticons. He trained them himself, using what he learned when training for the Guard, and had Prowl try to teach them basic Circuit Su. At the same time, he didn't baby them, letting them make their own mistakes and – hopefully – learn from them themselves. But still, he had failed.

Optimus did not care for avoidable confrontation. He was no coward, and would fight when necessary, but he saw little point in arguing for argument's sake. It was why he rarely fought back when Sentinel started in on him. Sure, he vented and grumbled to himself when the bigger bot was gone, but it was just that: venting. His lingering guilt over Elita-1's death also stilled some of his more barbed comebacks. He would not argue when the attacks were directed at him, but why had he not stood up for his team? He had stood quietly while the High Command belittled and mocked them as they did him. True, Bumblebee had a habit of running his vocalizer, and often got on Sentinel's bad side because of it, but he never deserved the berating always bestowed on him. Prowl tended to make himself scarce whenever the Elite came for an inspection. Bulkhead would put away his art, hiding it as though it was something to be ashamed of. A sharp pain in his hands drew him from his thoughts. He hadn't realized he had been clenching his fists.

Although he did not have claws, he had applied enough pressure to rupture the soft metal of his servos. A thin trickle of energon slipped from between his tightened knuckles, dripping down to the floor in a soft, steady rhythm. He focused on that, inhaling deeply, and trying to control his anger. This wasn't like him. Normally he was calm, unflappable. He thought that he could take anything thrown at him. But Megatron's words had his him hard. He genuinely cared for his team. They were a family of sorts, and he had let them down. He was angry with himself for failing them, but at the same time he knew that the blame did not lie fully on his shoulders. The system had failed them, had tried to destroy them. They were mechs with so much potential and talent, but they did not fit the Autobot mold and so they were abandoned in space with only the instruction to "fix the spacebridges". It wasn't fair.

So focused on trying to calm himself, Optimus missed the sound of the brig door sliding open. He did notice when the force field deactivated. He jerked in surprise, optics narrowing as he studied the silver frame of his captor.

"Hello again, Little Prime." Optimus stayed silent. "Not feeling very talkative, are you? No matter. Have you thought about what I said?" The smaller mech hesitated, before nodding. He could feel the tension seep from his shoulders as he anger fled. Oh, he was still mad, but right now survival instincts were kicking in. He hadn't forgotten the way he had snapped at Megatron. He doubted that the Warlord had either. But… he hadn't been punished. Megatron had seemed almost… delighted. And, he had licked him. Optimus still didn't understand that.

Megatron said no more. He simply raised the cube of energon he had brought with him to the Prime's pretty lips, forcing him to drink. As before, he waited until the energon was all gone before saying anything.

"The Elite Guard has landed in your absence. They are not very happy with your team." Optimus still did not respond. He seemed determined to give Megatron nothing else that could be used against him. True, he was furious with his superiors, but he was still an Autobot. He was still loyal. Megatron was sure that he would not be, not for much longer. Optimus was young, but he was very firm in his beliefs. He was somewhat of a martyr, sacrificing himself for those around him. But Megatron had been around for a great number of vorns, and he was familiar with this game. Optimus was a spitfire underneath his calm persona. He would fight for those he cared about and the cause that he believed in. His kind never took betrayal well.

"In fact," he stepped up close to Optimus, pressing against his body, purring against his audios. Optimus tried not to think about the comfort of being surrounded by larger mech. The deep, voice sending vibrations through him didn't help. He was disgusted with himself. He knew that he had been attracted to Megatron in the past, back in the academy. Elita and Sentinel had often teased him about his crush on the charismatic leader. He had thought he had gotten over that though. And here he was, thinking about the feeling on the helo pressed against him while his team was trapped with Sentinel and the Magnus. He should be there with them. "They are so angry over your disappearance that your team has been arrested for your "desertion", as they are calling it. That black and white ninja seems to disagree, but he can't do anything for them. Well, other than aiding Prowl's escape. Now he's on the run, and will also be charged with fleeing an obstruction of justice. How just the Autobots are!"

"What do you want from me?" Optimus' soft voice was tight with anger and pain. Megatron smirked, slips pressed against the side of his adversary's helm.

"The real question is, what do you want, Optimus? Do you want to be apart of the Elite Guard, the protectors of Cybertron, they hypocrites who betrayed you? Do you want to give it all up and vanish, leave everything behind you and start again? Or, do you want to save your friends."

"You already know that answer. You've only been mocking me with thoughts of them ever since you brought me here."

"Mm, very true," ah, there was the fiery spirit coming through. Optimus was beautiful like this, unrestrained and passionate, barely reining in that destructive emotion, "I do know that. I also know that on your own you cannot win against them. You will only sink into oblivion with your team as the Autobot corruption runs rampant." Optimus bristled at that, even though he was beginning to see that they were as corrupt as Megatron claimed. Did that mean that Megatron and the Decepticons were right?


	2. Chapter 2

Megatron smirked. He could see the young mech turning his words over. It was so easy. Despite the Little Prime's stubborn nature, and his desire to cling to his ideals, he could not deny that Megatron's words rang true. The helicopter supposed that in part he had Optimus' ex-friend to thank for helping his case. Had Sentinel not gone out of his way to antagonize his so-called best friend then perhaps Optimus would not be so willing to give into him now. Not that it would have made any difference in the end. Megatron had had thousands of vorns of experience convincing wary mechs that he was right, after all. In the end he would have given in, either way. Now he was simply more susceptible.

"Join me. Together we can free your team from their constraints. The Decepticons can give you everything you'll ever need; we will ensure that Cybertron is restored to his glorious golden era, free of Autoscum influence. You need not live in the shadows, Little Prime, but instead, live among those who understand."

"Understand?" Optimus shook his head. "I doubt it. After all, you were perfectly willing to kill my team back when we first retrieved the Allspark. We were Autobots, yes, but even you could see that we were not warriors. At least, most of us weren't. Yet instead of simply taking the cube from us and leaving you sought to obliterate us. We may not have been innocent, but we were close. And I know that not everyone who dies in a war is a soldier. Plenty of innocents are caught in the crossfire. You simply seem more willing to sacrifice them than the Autobots. No matter how noble you claim your cause to be, no matter how understanding, there is not one mech on my team who can kill so callously. Your Decepticons would tear us apart."

Megatron pulled back, a dark smirk on his face. Razor sharp fangs were revealed by the quirked lips. He noticed how the smaller mech's optics immediately watched his lips, and he grinned.

"That is a weak argument at best, Optimus. Yes, I tried to kill you. Had you not fled and forced us to chase you I likely still would have. Anyone and anything that bears that crude red symbol is an enemy and thus must be eliminated. And you cannot claim that you would have handed it over without a fight. We both know you would have fought to the death. And your team, especially the younglings, whom I suspect are who you wanted me to spare, would not have stood by and let you die. So thus your argument is invalid. And innocent people always die in the wars. Unlike the Autobots, we have taken our fighting into space, away from the civilian population. We do not attack Cybertron directly, even though with Omega Supreme under our control we could, because it is not worth the loss of life. Do you really think that I gained – and have kept – my position through needless death and slaughter as the Autobots claim? Do you think that no Decepticons have Autobot relatives? Many do, though it is not widely broadcasted. I would face a mutiny should I seek to eliminate Autobot civilians who do not know better. Most of what you know about us is a lie, Little Prime. It is little more than propaganda fed to the masses." Optimus said nothing. He had never thought of it like that before. "Come. We shall free your friends. The only thing I ask of you is that you consider what I have said. I will not force you to take my mark." A large, dark hand trailed softly over the red symbol that adorned the Prime's shoulder. It took all of the younger mech's will power to not lean into that soft, comforting touch. Megatron noticed his struggle, and his voice took on a more sensual purr. "I have no doubt that in time you will come to me, Optimus." Optimus fought to ignore the little voice that was begging him to give into the tyrant then and there.

"Prove it. Show me what happened to my friends." Instead of getting angry at the Prime's impudence, Megatron chuckled darkly.

"Very well, little Prime. Come with me."

----------

Optimus, still bound in chains, was led from his cell to the Command Center. Megatron said nothing as they walked; he merely pressed one hand into the small of the young mech's back. The warm pressure distracted Optimus and kept his focus on that one small point. If they passed anyone as they walked Optimus didn't notice; he was too busy trying to tell himself that the touch did _not_ feel completely right. It was a relief to finally make it to the Command Room, even if it meant having to deal with other Decepticons. Anything that could distract him from Megatron's imposing presence was welcome.

The tyrant guided the fire truck across the room to where several screens were monitoring everything from various rooms in the ship to districts around Detroit. A small part of him was concerned for the humans that he could see on the numerous screens – why would the Decepticons need to spy on "inferior" beings – but most of his attention was on the monitor that was focused on the Autobot base. He could tell that it had been completely abandoned. That put Optimus on edge. There was always, always some activity going on at home. Unless there was a conflict with the Decepticons, there was always at least one mech at the base, whether it was Ratchet working in his med bay or Bumblebee and Sari playing video games. Now however, it was completely shut down. There was no movement, no lights, and no signs of life. Optimus turned desperate optics on the Decepticon leader.

"Where are they?" Blitzwing, who seemed to be on monitor duty, looked at his leader. Optimus saw the look and said, "Please, I… I need to see. I need to know what happened to them." He was trying to be strong, but both mechs could see him tremble. Megatron stepped up behind his counterpart, and wrapped a strong arm around him waist, steadying him against his chassis. Optimus did not fight him, instead he sagged against the warm support, ignoring the righteous little voice that raged against it.

"Blitzwing." Understanding his Lord's command, the triple changer silently rewound the footage. Five hours previously, Sentinel, Jazz, the Twins, and Ultra Magnus had entered the base. Jazz and the twins had worn looks of guilt and disgust, while Sentinel looked eager. Magnus, as always, showed no emotion. The five Elite Guards entered the building, reappearing moments later with his team. Sentinel had Bulkhead, and looked disappointed, while the Twins escorted Bumblebee and Sari out. Jazz seemed to be guiding Prowl, but when the others' attention was focused elsewhere, he let the black ninjabot go, gesturing at him to run. Prowl tapped the other ninja's neck, and Jazz dropped like a stone. Prowl caught him and lowered him to the ground before shooting one last look at his friends. Then he was gone, out of sight of the camera. Ratchet seemed to be yelling at the Magnus, who had one of the old medic's arms in a firm grip.

"Do you see, Optimus? This is how your precious commander cares for you, for your team. He cares the same way he did when your friend Blurr went missing. That is to say, not at all. He has an empire to run; anyone not doing their jobs is dismissed. You are suspected to have defected to me, and since they cannot punish you they will punish your friends. They will make examples of all of them so that others will not follow in your footsteps. They have not even taken the time to search for you; there is no time when you want to keep the masses ignorant. Looking for you would raise suspicions. The public would wonder how a model student such as yourself ended up in your position and questions would be asked. Punishing your team will scare the masses and no one will doubt the council's word. That is how the Autobots operate."

"And you expect me to believe that you care?" Optimus asked weakly. He hadn't wanted to believe it, but the proof was right in front of him. It was real. Even if the Decepticons could have faked it, they never would have known that Jazz would let Prowl go. No one outside the team knew that the ninjabots were more than friends. Jazz would never let anything happen to Prowl, but Megatron couldn't know that. So everything he had said was true. Horror turned to anger at that thought. How could he have been so blind? Was everything a lie? Would he have ended up as cruel and uncaring as the Guard seemed to be if he hadn't flunked out of the Academy? It was a chilling thought.

"Unlike Autobots, I never leave my soldiers behind if it can be helped." Optimus noticed that the silver helicopter had neatly side stepped his question, but he didn't comment. The answer he had been given told him that his former enemy did have a spark after all, callous though he may be.

"And what price would I have to pay, in exchange for your assistance in freeing my team?"

"I think you know the answer to that Optimus."

"Join the Decepticons." The truckformer's voice was flat.

"Yes. Eventually, when you have come to fully understand our ideals, I will require you to join us. For now though, you simply need to swear allegiance to us. You will not bear my mark until you are one of us, but I will not allow you to turn on us once your team is safe. I know you Optimus, and I know that once you give me your word you will not turn your back on us. Swear to fight with my mechs, to never turn your axe or gun on myself any mech under my command." Optimus translated that as Megatron asking for every tenant in a soldier's oath except loyalty. And he was right; once Optimus swore to it, he would never break his oath, even after his team was safe. It was a leash, one that bound him more tightly than chains ever could. Optimus didn't even think about it. Megatron had been more honest with him than his own faction ever had. He knew that this was the right choice, just as he knew his biases and hatred weren't going to go away over night. Megatron was giving him time to get over it, before he asked for the ultimate oath. And even if Megatron had been wrong, Optimus would do anything to save his team.

"I, Optimus Prime, do give my solemn oath to fight with the Decepticons, and to never turn any weapon I possess on any Decepticon or their leader in battle. Furthermore I swear to maintain my silence about any and all information I may possess in regards to the Decepticons, their affiliates, and any plans they have, or will have, that I am aware. This I so swear." Megatron was slightly impressed. There were not many who remembered the old oaths. They had been common during the first war but had since died out. Optimus had also sworn to more than the Decepticon Lord had asked of him. Determined blue optics met his own. He smirked, almost tasting the victory. Optimus, and by extension, his crew, would soon be his.

"Excellent."

----------

It had not taken long to organize a rescue mission. Only a small group had been assembled. Optimus – sans Autobot symbol – was there of course, along with Lugnut, Blitzwing, a mech that he had never seen before called Oilslick (apparently two more Decepticon teams had rendezvoused on earth), and Megatron himself was leading the squad. They had one more mech to pick up along the way, and Optimus was pretty sure he knew who it was. As he had been given back the use of his comm. for this mission, it hadn't taken much to contact Prowl and brief him on the situation. Prowl had been rather upset that they were going to work with Decepticons, but has accepted his leader's decision. And, as he had said, he no longer trusted the Autobots, so if Optimus could trust Megatron it was enough for him. For the moment, that is. The ninja wanted an in depth explanation later.

It had surprised the Decepticons when Prowl pulled up next to Oil Slick as they travelled through Detroit. Megatron, flying above them with Lugnut and Blitzwing sent a query ping to Optimus, only to receive an image of an angelic smile back. Cocky little Autobot.

Prowl, it turned out, had been in contact with Jazz. He relayed all of the information that his lover had given him, everything from when they planned to ship out (in less than an hour), to those who were disconcerted – or disgusted – by the Elite's actions (Jazz and the Twins) to where the repair team was being held (in the brig, level E, each in their own containment cells). Jazz had also sent Prowl specs of the ship, highlighting the best route to get in and out of the brig, and information detailing how to disable the cells, alarms and lighting.

The drive was short, but in that space of time they had managed to devise a plan that was much more subtle than their original head on attack. They had also managed to communicate with Jazz, who had decided he would remain on earth, and the ninjabot was willing to aid them by making sure that he was the guard on duty in the brig when they broke in. He would keep the others away from the cells, giving them time to get in and out.

The Elite Guard ship was parked near the Autobot team's base, under a hologram, but their sensors picked it up. Luckily for the small squad, the base was not being watched, giving them the opportunity to get close without being seen. The shelter also provided a relatively secure area to iron out the plan and send the details to Jazz. Lugnut and Blitzwing would remain outside. They would attack the old factory building, calling for the Autobots to come fight, as though they did not realize the ship was there. A "stray" shot would hit the ship, while at the same time Megatron would blow a hole in its side with his fusion cannon. The two blasts would be enough to tear through the hull. Once inside, Megatron, Optimus, Prowl, and Oil Slick would use Prowl's holographic projectors to move unseen through the ship. Oil Slick's chemical weapons would be enough to shut down the containment cells in the brig. The tricky part would be escaping with all five extra mechs. Optimus and Megatron would cover their retreat.

Once everyone fully understood the plan, Lugnut and Blitzwing headed out.

"Zis will be zoooo much fun!" Random cackled. Lugnut grunted at him, saying that Lord Megatron's glorious plan must not fail!

"Yah, yah, Luggy. Let's do zis!"

"AUTOBOTS! COME OUT AND FIGHT! THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS MEGATRON DEMANDS YOUR PRESENCE. COME OUT AND FIGHT, YOU COWARDS!"

----------

In hindsight, it was far too easy. Lugnut's "wild" shot had hit its target precisely. Sentinel and Magnus had never thought to check for intruders, and had only activated the ship's repair mechanisms before turning their attention to other matters. Thanks to Prowl, the cameras never picked them up, and Jazz changing places with Jetfire as a guard explained why the brig doors had opened. Of course, something was bound to go wrong. Bumblebee's screech when he saw the Decepticons enter the brig was loud enough to echo through the ship. He would have continued to scream, likely, if Optimus hadn't stepped forward.

"Boss-bot? What's goin' on?" Optimus smiled, but it was tight.

"We're getting you out of here. The Autobots have betrayed us, and I will not see you punished for it. Megatron has agreed to help us." Bumblebee still looked nervous, but when he opened his mouth to complain, Ratchet cut him off.

"Shut up Bumblebee! You heard what they have planned for us! We have to get out of here now!"

"We wouldn't be here if Boss-bot hadn't gone traitor!" Optimus winced.

"You are a fool Bumblebee, if you truly believe that. You are letting their lies corrupt you," Prowl hissed from where he was working on freeing Sari.

"Kid, the Guard has been like this since the end of the War. I know, I was there. They have become a shadow of what they once were. And if you can believe their lies so easily, perhaps your place is with them." Ratchet looked disappointed. Bumblebee wanted to cry.

"I'm sorry," he said, miserably. "I didn't mean it. I was just angry," he said, trying not to sob. Optimus understood. It was hard when your beliefs were ripped away from you; Bumblebee couldn't understand how their former comrades could treat them like dirt. He had talked himself into believing that what had happened at boot camp had been a fluke; there was no way that the Autobots were really so callous. Now to have the truth shoved in his face so brutally was hard on the youngling.

"Enough." Optimus had to admire how everyone when silent at Megatron's command. He had, on occasion, wished that his team would obey him like that. "We are leaving now. Come or stay, that is your choice. It would, however be in your best interest to come with us." Oil Slick finally got the containment field around Bulkhead's cell down, and the giant joined Ratchet and Sari. Seeing that they had wasted time arguing, and knowing that Sentinel would be coming down any klik to check on (and gloat to) the prisoners, he said,

"Yo cats, we're almost outta time. At this rate, I'm gunna have to input the code to let Bumblebee out. It'll register in the Command Center, but if we move quick we can get out before Sentinel gets here." Optimus looked at Megatron, before saying,

"Do it Jazz." A moment later, the field disappeared. The alarms had been disabled, but that wouldn't mean anything to anyone watching the consoles on the brig.

"Let's go." Prowl didn't bother with his holograms, not when the Autobots knew about the escape. Instead, they took off at a dead run. They passed the twin flyers in the corridors, but neither one tried to stop them. They could here Sentinel chasing after them, shrieking about traitors and Decepticons, but the twins intercepted him, asking a bunch of mundae questions about the protocols for prisoner escape. It bought them precious few seconds, and they made it back to the hole in the hull. Bulkhead's mace impacted against the repairing creator, tearing it open once again. Prowl, Jazz, Sari and Bumblebee slipped through, followed by Ratchet and Oil Slick, and then Bulkhead. Optimus was about to leave, when a large hand grabbed his shoulder. He was met by the furious optics of his former friend.

"I always knew you were a traitor Optimus, but I never thought that you'd end up as a Decepticon's _pet_." Optimus snarled and punched his old friend in the face. He drew his battle axe, but Megatron interfered, and shoved him through the hole in the ship. And astroklik later, the young mech heard the sound of a fusion cannon firing, before Megatron leisurely climbed through the hole.

"I had expected more trouble from these Autobots. I hardly see why we even bothered with stealth; they were woefully unprepared for an attack."

"You caught them by surprise, but the others will be mobilizing now. If we don't get out of here now, were going to have one Pit of a firefight on our servos," Jazz warned them. He knew that most of the Autobots on the ship had thought that no one would dare attack them, and had let their guards down, but they were all trained warriors, and it would get messy if they hung around.

"Very well. Lugnut, Blitzwing, retreat!"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Aww! Ok."

"Transform and roll out!" The former Autobots did as their leader commanded, and at a nod from Megatron, so did the Decepticons.

----------

Optimus did his best to stand firmly on his pedes. He didn't want to collapse in front of so many Decepticons. He did not want to show weakness. The hot iron pressed against his shoulder, pressing the Decepticon brand into the metal where the Autobot symbol used to be. The pain was excruciating, but it was worth it. Every moment of suffering up until this point was worth it.

When they had returned to the Decepticon base, Optimus had had a long talk with his team. Most of them had been unwilling to join the Decepticons, Optimus included. The betrayal of the Autobots was a fresh wound on all of their processors. Surprisingly, Ratchet had been the only one for it. The Great War had come close to breaking him. He had seen what the Autobots were capable of. Ironically, he had figured out at the end of the war that the Decepticons were actually not as terrible as they were made out to be, and some were actually better than most Autobots.

Optimus had dwelled on everything Megatron had said to him, but at times he had trouble concentrating. He remembered the way Megatron had held him when he had watched the footage of his team' kidnapping, remembered how the much larger mech would press against him and whisper into his finials. But he couldn't deny that Megatron had been there for him, that he had been honest and had come to his aid when his team was in trouble. That was more than anyone had ever done for him before. It was that, above all, that convinced him. Prowl and Jazz believed in Optimus, and when he had decided to complete his Oath and swear loyalty as well, so too did the ninja pair.

Sari and Bulkhead had worked to convince Bumblebee, but it was the sudden and strange appearance of Blurr, who had been spared by Shockwave, that convinced the little mech. He had missed his friend, who had taken on the Decepticon symbol. If Blurr could handle it, then he could too.

So here he was now, finally being indicted into the Decepticon fold. Optimus could see the approval on Megatron's face as he stood stoically, refusing to flinch. The burning metal was held to his shoulder plating a moment longer, before Megatron finally granted mercy and pulled the red hot marker away. Optimus gracefully sank to his knees, and accepted Megatron's hand, kissing the back of it.

"My loyalty is forever bound to you, my lord. This I solemnly swear, on my honor, my name, and my life." Megatron's slow, curling smile made the young mech's knees go weak, and he thought it was lucky that he was already kneeling.

"Welcome, Optimus Prime, to the Decepticons."


	3. Chapter 3

Optimus watched from the shadows, waiting for the signal. He could see Bumblebee fighting to keep still from the corner of his optics. The young mech was very excited to see his friends again. He had missed the twins.

Of all of Optimus' team, Bumblebee had had the hardest time adjusting to life as a Decepticon. The change hadn't been easy for any of them, but their youngest teammate had taken it the worst. He had been jerked from his comfortable black and white world where the Autobots were good and the Decepticons were evil, into a world that was much grayer. Leaving Earth – and Sari, for a time, although she was back with them now – had been difficult, especially once they had learned that they were going to reside on the Nemesis for the foreseeable future. Bumblebee, who had fought hard against taking the Decepticon symbol, had rebelled. Blurr's appearance had helped convince him to stop fighting against their new comrades, but it had taken several decaorns, and a stint with the Stunticon Team, before Bumblebee had acclimatized. He still didn't agree with all of their ideals, but making friends with Wildrider and Drag Strip, and seeing how happy Bulkhead was in his new environment, had helped him settle in. Learning about the way his old friends had been treated by their so-called comrades was going a long way in destroying any remaining respect he had for the Autobots.

Optimus let his optics drift over Prowl and Jazz, nearly hidden on the roof of the building across from him. The pair was keeping an optic on their approaching targets. Prowl would signal when they got within range, and Jazz would cut off their escape. Both ninjas had slipped into the roles of Decepticons with surprising ease. Jazz had explained their easy transition by informing them that ninjas had served as the Emperor's body guards and assassins in the cycles long gone. That training had continued through the ages, and though each ninja chose his own path, the many vorns spent ingraining honorable and less-than-honorable ways of dispatching a target never disappeared. Jazz and Prowl could turn off their easy going and tranquil attitudes respectively, when the need arose. The Decepticons had discovered early on the pissing off the ninjas was a Bad Idea™.

Bulkhead had had the easiest time, Optimus remembered as he examined the giant's hiding spot farther down the street. He had done his initial training with Team Charr, who he enjoyed spending time with. Although Bulkhead was a space bridge engineer, and Oil Slick was a chemist, the pair loved to talk about science and math with another mech who understood. They could chat for hours about subjects beyond the rest of the team's understanding. Also, it turned out that Cyclonus had an interest in art, and although he was unwilling to talk about art for hours on end he would on occasion critique Bulkhead's work, which the engineer appreciated.

Ratchet, who was waiting on the ship for any injured, and had grumbled extensively about coming on this mission, had been reunited with an old lover. Apparently, he and Hook had been roommates in medical school, but had gone their separate ways at the start of the First War. After a few awkward meetings the pair had picked up where they had left off, much to the chagrin of Hook's brothers. The Constructicons hadn't been sure whether to be elated or horrified when they were transferred to the Nemesis. Apparently, Ratchet and Hook were rather…loud. And now they were living on the same ship.

Optimus himself had grown in leaps and bounds, but it hadn't been easy. It had taken him a very long time to fully accept the betrayal, and so he hadn't immediately embraced the Decepticon lifestyle. He had sworn his loyalty, and he kept to his oath, but vorns of conditioning against Decepticons had made him wary about the entire faction. And Megatron had done nothing to make the transition easier. It had seemed like every time Optimus turned around, the Warlord was there, taunting him with words about his former life, or making subtle innuendos that left the smaller mech shivering in anger, fear, and lust. After decacycles of such torment Optimus had lashed out, verbally tearing into his Leader. When Megatron had simply smirked that infuriating, smug smirk, Optimus had decked him. In the resulting tussle Optimus failed to wipe that smirk off Megatron's face. In fact, when the pair emerged several hours later, disheveled and dented, the smirk had only gotten wider.

And now, here they were, vorns later, getting ready to retrieve the unofficial members of their team. Jetfire and Jetstorm had not fared well in the time since Optimus' team had defected. The Council had turned its attention to the youngling flyers when the others had escaped, declared them a danger to Autobot society because of their Decepticon coding, and had shipped them to the Stockades. Word of their imprisonment had only recently gotten back to the Decepticons. The Autobots had gone to great lengths to keep it quiet. Megatron had paused only long enough to organize an ambush before sending Optimus' squad to free the twins. Flyers were a valuable commodity after all, and these two in particular had had access to Autobot secrets before their incarceration. While the secrets were likely out-of-date and useless now, they would gain insight into the tactics of the Autobots. That they were important to one of his Elite Teams was a factor too.

The ambush could have taken orns longer to plan, but luckily the twins were being transferred to a more secure, unknown facility this cycle, and the rescue team was in position, lying in wait.

"Targets on approach," Prowl's voice was quiet over the comms. "Zero point five decakliks until they are within range. Ten Guards, the twins are in the center of the formation wrapped in heavy duty stasis chains, with Sentinel Prime following the formation."

"Bumblebee, prepare. I want those guards taken out before they have a chance to retaliate. Bulkhead, get those chains off of the twins and then get them to Ratchet. Prowl, Jazz, cover them. I will deal with Sentinel."

"Yes, Prime."

"Got it, Boss."

The Elite Guard squad clearly wasn't expecting an attack. They were caught completely by surprise with a yellow blur struck from the side. Two of the guards dropped with strangled screams, energon boiling as electricity raced through their circuits. Stunned by the ambush, two more guards fell before they could pull their weapons. The other six were quicker, and managed to draw their blasters. They attempted to track the yellow menace, and failed to take note of one mech dropping down from the roof behind them. One guard found out he was there rather quickly when a nunchuck struck him hard in the neck, breaking the struts and killing him. Shurikens embedded in three of the other mechs told of them about the presence of a third mech. The last two guards moved to stand back to back, attempting to track their enemies. Jazz dealt with them swiftly. The small blade he carried sliced through both mechs' throats, one after the other. Bulkhead moved in, massive arms easily hefting the weight of the small flyers. He broke the chains securing them to the transportation platform, and took off for the ship.

Optimus had moved when the first two guards had fallen. He had quickly isolated Sentinel from the fight, making sure that the blustering fool couldn't come to his guards' aid. Fool though the other Prime was, he was still a Prime for a reason. Sentinel's optics darkened in anger when he recognized his attacker.

"Traitor!" He bellowed. Optimus regarded his former friend calmly.

"Hello, Sentinel."

"How dare you show your face here, traitor! You will submit to the will of the Elite Guard, and your pathetic team will be taken into custody."

"No, I don't think so. We're fine with remaining where we are, thank you very much."

"If you will not come quietly, I will force you!" Drawing his blaster and shield – what had happened to his sword? – the mech lunged for Optimus, firing wildly. Side stepping the blasts, Optimus drew his axe. He moved in from the side, waiting for Sentinel to make the next move. Snarling, the Autobot Second-in-Command attempted to press the Decepticon back against the wall, and growled when Optimus evaded him. He was so focused on eliminated his ex-friend that he didn't notice as the smaller mech herded him further down the darkened street. He was caught completely by surprise when the red and blue mech darted forward, axe raised high. Sentinel took advantage of the opening the move had left, intending to shoot the charging Decepticon through his spark. He never got the chance. Optimus released his axe, the weapon spinning through the air before smashing into Sentinel's shield. Distracted, Sentinel dropped his optics to examine the shield for damage. He never saw Optimus draw an energon dagger. The blade was shoved through his throat before he realized that he was in danger.

The lifeless shell dropped to the ground. Optimus spared it a disdainful glance. He pulled his blade from the corpse and cleaned the energon off on a cloth he took from subspace. Then he retrieved his axe, and turned to head back to his team.

"Report," he ordered curtly.

"All targets have been eliminated. Bulkhead has returned to the ship with the twins."

"Get your afts back here ASAP. These two are driving me up the wall!" Ratchet barked.

"Ah but Ratchet, you is loving us anyway!"

"Get off the comm!"

"I'm en route, ETA is 2 kliks," Optimus said, amused as Ratchet cursed.

"Relax, Ratch," Jazz chuckled. "Me'n Prowl will be there in one klik. You can handle them until then, right?"

"Cheeky brat. Yeah, I can. Hurry up. Ratchet out."

The trip home was rather uneventful after the excitement of the cycle. The small ship they had used on the rescue mission had met with the Nemesis and docked with no problems. Now they were heading back to Decepticon territory. Jetfire and Jetstorm had no problems with leaving Cybertron and were chatting happily with Bumblebee and Bulkhead at a table in the rec room, but the haunted look in their optics didn't fade entirely. The young leader knew that it would take a long time for the twins to heal completely, and silently berated himself for his failure. They had freed the twins, but it had taken him far too long even discover their captivity. And, he was ashamed to admit, there had been so much going on in the past vorns that he had barely spared them a thought. He had assumed that Sentinel would look after them. But then, he had assumed that he and Sentinel would be able to work out their differences. He should have checked on the flyers.

Megatron watched his favorite team commander from the shadows. Years of experience had taught the warlord how to read both his enemies and his soldiers. He was very good at quickly determining their flaws. If Optimus had a fatal flaw, it was his inability to let go of his perceived mistakes. The young mech took everything so personally, and the fate of the jet twins hung heavily on his shoulders, Megatron knew. That they were safe now and would eventually recover meant little to the former Autobot, and the silver tyrant knew that he was blaming himself. Well, that would end now.

"Enough of this foolishness, Optimus." If the fire truck was startled by the sudden appearance of his leader, he gave no sign. He kept his gaze on the bay window, intently studying the stars.

"What foolishness? You know as well as I do that I could have prevented this. Yes, I am trying to undo the damage, but it can never really be undone, can it, Megatron?" Megatron growled lowly.

"One could argue that you are no omnipresent and had no way of knowing what the council had planned."

"They were going to force them to _breed___Megatron. Mechs would have used them until the offlined all for the sake of sparking more flyers. They are younger than Bumblebee! Do you really think that whether or not I could have known makes any difference? I did not even _try_ to check on them. I assumed they would be safe. If we hadn't intercepted that transmission we never would have known what happened to them!" Optimus turned to face his lover, fury and guilt burning in his deep red optics.

"They were not yours to command! You did what any good commander would, and saw to the needs of your people first. I know the Elite Guard is despicable; I am aware of how low the council will sink when they want something. Even knowing how they act, my intel network discovered no signs that Jetfire and Jetstorm were being held captive. So sitting here and brooding about whether or not there was anything you could have done differently is a waste of time."

"How dare you!" The rage that had built up inside the younger mech finally had a target. Optimus was not one to lose control easily, but Megatron had a way of getting under his plating. And the heliformer liked pushing Optimus until he lost all of his careful control. The young commander launched himself at Megatron, not caring that the mech was far larger than he was. He aimed a powerful blow at the Decepticon's face, but Megatron easily caught his fist. Moving quickly, he jerked the smaller mech into his arms, pinning him in a tight hold. Optimus struggled, cursing and hissing and trying to break free, but Megatron held fast. Eventually, Optimus became too tired to keep struggling, and went lax in his lover's grip. Megatron didn't release him, and instead pressed silky kisses to the younger mech's neck cables. Moaning softly, Optimus relaxed completely, pressing into the surprisingly gentle attention his lover was showing him. They stayed like that for quite some time, exchanging kisses and stroking plating, until Optimus asked,

"What if it happens again? What if I lose one of my teammates, but can't get them back? I know what the Magnus and the council will do to them. I _can't_ let that happen." And that, Megatron knew, was the crux of the matter. Optimus, despite being a powerful commander, feared losing his team. He feared not being good enough to protect them. Their first brush with betrayal had shaken him deeply, and he had yet to regain all of the confidence he had lost.

"You will train them, Optimus, so that they never end up in that situation. And if they do, they will have the skills to survive until we get them out." Optimus said nothing; he simply pushed further into the comforting embrace. Eventually, they would have to go back out and return to their duties – Megatron to meet with the Constructicons about building a permanent base on one of the moons they controlled, and Optimus to check on the twins and his team – but for now they were content to stay wrapped around each other. Moments such as this were rare with an army to run, and intimacy tended to be passionate, but rushed. Unfortunately, it couldn't last forever. Optimus pressed a deep kiss to Megatron's lips, glossa sliding into the other's mouth, tasting and stroking softly before pulling away. It was a silent thanks, and Megatron understood. He nipped his mate's pouty bottom lip before letting him go and stepping away.

"I will see you at the beginning of the dark cycle. Make sure that the twins are assigned appropriate barracks. They will begin training with Starscream's fleet in the morning. And make sure that Sari stays away from Blitzwing. If they start singing "One Hundred Cubes of Energon on the Wall" one more time…" Optimus smirked. He would never tell Megatron that it had actually been him that had taught Random and Sari the annoying song.

"Yes, Lord Megatron. I will see to it." The silver tyrant nodded once, before striding from the room. Optimus turned his gaze back to the stars, reflecting on all that had come to pass in these last few vorns. He never would have imagined that he would be betrayed by the Autobots, only to be rescued by his mortal enemy. He never would have guessed that he would end up sharing a berth and more with said mortal enemy. The war was not won, and would likely not be for groons to come, but he was content. He had his team, his lover (and hopefully bondmate), and the loyalty of his troops. No, life had not turned out the way he had expected when he dreamed about it with Sentinel and Elita so many vorns ago.

"Boss bot!" a voice hollered over his comm. "The twins stole my x-box!"

"He is to be lying, Mr. Optimus Prime sir!"

"Yes! What is we wanting with the x-box? We is no good at the games."

"Liars!" Optimus chuckled, listening to the young bots snipe at each other over their comms. He left the solitude of the mess hall to deal with the latest crisis of his teammates, the door swishing shut behind him.

The End


End file.
